THE HOMING BIRD

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 212, 7 September 1920, Page 5

THE HOMING BIRD

RETURiK OF CAPTAIN DICKSON

TH|E AERIAL MAIL,

MARLBOROUGH HOSPITALITY ACKNOWLEDGED.

[FKOM OTJR COKRESrONPENT.]

■. OHRISTCHIJI*CH, iSept, 6. With the pei-formance toi lusciedifc of being, the first: pilot' to l]y between the North, and South islands of New Zealand, Captain Euan Ijlickson, in his. Avro Jinachine, -i%turned to the Sockbu'rci aerodi-ome this morning. He carried .two bags of. mai} for %he Postal Department. He IJeft Ifaikoura,, the, last stage-of the return flight from Trentham, at 1Q a.m. and landed at Sockburn at 11.t>5. The flying tiw,e for this journey was one hour, £ojminutes, and equals the time made on the jouTney to the North Island. .-<■■■■' ,

On botii occasions the ilight was against strong head winds and under cold and wintry conditions. : , On landing the machine was cuickIy. : .sumiimded,- and Captain Diekson was congratulated on ail sides, while his passenger (Mr A. W.i Buxtoii, of Christoluirch) and the i mechanic (Mr,«|. E. Moore) afeo camo in for hearty handshakes, The handing over of the mail-bag was snapped by photographers, and in a. couple of minutes the Mayor was reading the contents of a letter from Picion. There was a, brief interval of speech-making. :Tho Mayor extended hi.i congratulations to Messrs Diekson •md Moore. He also congratulated the Hon. ft. F. Wigram on the work ctone in establishing the company. Jn Captain Dickson the company had a wonderful aviator, with a :firie y.ar record. . • •. :

Captain Dickson, in response, said that what appealed to him in connection with the "stunt" was that a victory had been won by' the South Island which could not be taken away. A big box of violets and forget-me-nots came out of the cock-pit of the machine. It was a, tribute from the Blenheim people, regarding whose hospitality .Captain Dickson could not speak too highly. Copies of "Mar.lborough the Golden," a little booklet published by the* Marlborough Progress Committee, came, south, in addition to the •ordinary"''mail. One of them, addressed to the Mayor of Christehurch, was autographed by the lending men of Blenheim.' Mr J. S. Neville (Assistant Town Cleric oi' Christchurcli) received no less tlin,n live letters from relatives in Blenheim by the aerial post.